Benjamin Vedrines Climbs Mont Blanc in Five Hours From Chamonix and Back
The average climber does Mont Blanc in two days, using a cable car from Chamonix to the Aiguille de Midi. They then spend a night in a hut and then another 10-14 hours to summit. Yesterday, Benjamin Vedrines set off from the church in Chamonix and made it back to town in less than five hours.
His return trip took exactly 4 hours, 54 minutes, and 41 seconds and edged the previous speed record, set by Kilian Jornet in 2013, of 4:57:40. The challenge involved nearly 3,800 vertical meters of gain between Chamonix, located 1,000m above sea level, and the 4,806m summit.
"I honestly didn't believe it was possible," Vedrines admitted.
Neither did this writer. But we are starting to get used to the French prodigy redefining what is possible in mountaineering speed. It doesn't matter whether it's the roof of Europe or K2, the roof of Pakistan, which he climbed in 11 hours without supplementary oxygen or porters.
Vedrines used skis at some point during the ascent and supposedly paraglided down. He mentioned an intense experience that included broken ankles, frozen eyes, and snapped poles, but he withheld further details in order to share a complete report in the next few days.
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However, if you're not sure you're going to camp often, you probably won't need something like this right away. Most campsites have picnic tables at every site so you'll have a place to eat and hang out. Elaborate cookware, plates, etc. It's easy to start spending lots of money on camping-specific gear. Don't get me wrong, it can be fun. If you're just starting out, though, you don't need most of this stuff. Plates and utensils from home will suffice at the beginning. If you don't want to worry about cleaning them, paper plates and biodegradable utensils will work fine. 12v or battery-powered refrigerators Again, I have one of these in my van and I adore it. Total gamechanger. It was also really expensive. To start, any inexpensive cooler will work fine, especially since you should be camping somewhere near a store that likely has ice. A 20 minute exposure at my campsite in Kings Canyon NP. Geoffrey Morrison Lastly, when you're ready to head home, make sure you leave your campsite as you found it. Trash in nearby bins or dumpsters, no active campfire, etc. Do your best to get rid of any dirt that's made its way into your tent. You'll thank yourself next time. I also recommend airing out your tent and sleeping bag when you get home. It's surprising how quickly both can get stinky, which is not what you want to discover when you're setting up your next campsite. And I hope there will be a next time! Enjoy!
